Infatuation
by Miss Nae Malfoy
Summary: Suki is a sweet girl trapped in an academy known as Tower Prep. Ray is gorgeous, possessive, and absolutely infatuated with her. Suki is taken with Ray, but knows nothing of his obsession of her fragility. "I am strong. You are only strong-MINDED, Suki."
1. Suki's Problem

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THIS! Tower Prep and all of its characters belong to their owner/writer and everyone at Cartoon Network.**

**A/N: So, this is one of my favorite TV shows right now! Don't know why, since CN isn't in my agenda of channels, but I just had to compile a world of my very own with Tower Preps genius plot line. This is most definitely a Suki/Ray story, told in both POVs. Review, Favorite, Subscribe! **

**Suki POV- **

"Look, I've got a plan…" and Ian went on describing how we were going to break into Headmaster's office again- except this time he wanted me to accompany him…this time we were going to pull the biggest number on Whisper. I imagined my day of glory to be worth more than solid gold- which was the equivalent to Whisper in Ian's eyes. While Gabe moved onto an election and CJ spent her time reciting Buffer plays, he was still hell-bent on getting out of here; soon wasn't close enough and obsession wasn't sufficient.

"Foolproof." CJ smiled at Ian.

Only Gabe and I knew all of the secrets hidden beneath her smile- how she adored him and always knew how to make him laugh. But even then, Gabe only picked up on half of the advances. Sometimes Ian was the densest man I had ever met. Unlike CJ, I remembered my life before Tower Prep crystal clear. I remembered my mommy and all of my aunts; I remembered how it was to have my own room and to be grounded for acting out. Here at Tower, it was like we were asked to forget all of that. I couldn't, not for the life of me.

"Yeah…'' Gabe pursed his lips and fixed his glasses, all the while dragging out that one syllable. ''But what if CJ gets bit again? The whole plan might fall through.'' That earned him a hearty punch to the shoulder. His eyes squinted as he clenched his open hand and rubbed the assaulted spot softly.

"It was a potentially dangerous bug…and what about your great fall, Gabe? At least I didn't sound like a weeping little girl over a sprained ankle-" Gabe was going to cut her off when Ian held a hand up.

"Alright! That's enough, guys. Do you wanna help me and Suki get out of here, or not? I don't know about you guys, but the sooner we stop arguing, the sooner we can get this done- and I can't wait to get out of here.' The room went silent with his heroic chalice. This was all seriousness to him- there was no space to make mistakes or waste precious time. The break-in was scheduled for next Sunday, when Headmaster would be the host of the Excelled Awards, where all math and technological clubs would be receiving their 'respect' as they wished to call it. We only had thirty minutes max before the ceremony would be over and he would travel back to his study.

There was something big, something important in that office for Ian to want so badly to infiltrate. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what that was. "See you guys tomorrow. Remember Suki, Whisper has to be completely inactive when we enter. Or else we're dead meat."

"West Campus meat." I gulped at my own words. As we parted ways, Ian crept through the halls with CJ to her dorm the opposite way of his own room. Gabe slid his hands in his pockets and looked at me oddly. "So, uhh, Coach History's assignment is due…I think." I offered lamely. He pretended to remember what I was talking about.

"Yeah.'' He chuckled. "Too bad Ian doesn't work under my high persuasion. Say, Suki, don't you enjoy writing-"

"Don't, Gabe." I rolled my eyes at his incompetent misuse of his ability. There were way better things to use it on! I was NOT going to get suckered into doing his class work. 'Goodnight.' I called over my shoulder before dashing quietly towards my dorms, which were dangerously close to my English class. All night I could only think of the endless possibilities of how I could block Whisper's Intel. Perhaps there was a certain program she ran on? If not, then perhaps she was more human than we thought- if _that_ was so, I could use that to its full advantage. Humans were always more infallible then humans- it was just nature. Perhaps I didn't need to shut down the network like I tried last time…maybe.

History-

"I trust that everyone has their DBQ packet to turn in?" I smiled sweetly at Coach History, who accepted my packet with an expectant nod. I laid my hands in my lap and CJ followed when she placed her essay and worksheets in his hands. Though we were still weary of him (being with the whole gnome situation), we had to show enough respect to our teachers; there was nothing more we feared than West Campus. "Everyone that is, except Mr. Forrest and Mr. Archer." Coach History barely contained the roll of eyes, as he expected Gabe and Ian to lag on their assignment. "I want it in tomorrow by the end of the period. No excuses, or this is one big zero, boys.' CJ rolled her eyes and I followed. Ian got away with too much and Gabe was attached to Ian, so Gabe got away with everything included.

"Ian is so lazy sometimes." CJ vented through Coach History's lesson on the pros and cons of Nationalism. "If he were graded on how well he comes up with escape plans, we'd have no problem." Her bottom lip curled in. it was cute how she worried and fretted over him.

"Gabe's no better. It's like they're twins or something.'' I sighed. I shifted my body so that I could pull another pencil out of my backpack and felt a light breeze brush past me. I snapped my head up, looking around for the bandit. Ian told me of the work-study program kid who could travel at the speed of light. I didn't have anything close to Ian's preflexes, but I knew that breezes were nonexistent in the stuffiest classroom of them all. I looked up at the second row across the room, to the seats just above Ian and Gabe and found Ray's eyes looking right back at me. Our vision connection abruptly ended when Don began waving something in front of the brown-haired boy.

My average brown eyes snapped back to my desk. What was that look he gave me? Sure, our science project pairing didn't go too well. That was to be expected, as he was the greatest enemy of Ian. I looked at the new note on my desk. Coach History stayed in his monotonous lecture and didn't spare anyone a glance. All he was thinking of was tomorrow night's buffer game, and everyone else knew it too. The Gold Team was playing the Red team- yeah, wha-who, go team…and that was why I wasn't a cheerleader. I picked up the note and unwrapped it slowly. Inside was a carefully pressed flower that seemed to unfold with life. I gasped quietly at the beauty. The parchment was premium printer paper with a sloppy, yet careful phrase. _Forever Yours, Suki S._

I giggled at the sweet note. My eyes searched the room, but the only person looking in my direction was Fenton. After I flipped in my mind for a few minutes, I realized he was only staring at the chart of World events above my head. I sighed in relief and passed the note to CJ. ''Analyze it?'' I asked softly. Her eyes left the glazed glance and became alight with curiosity as she read the words.

"Oh, Suki!" She smiled and glanced at the paper again. "Definitely sincere- not at all shy." She gave me a look. "Confident and strong." I bit my lower lip. Who did I know that was confident, strong, sincere, outgoing and would write a note like that to me? As I looked around again, I didn't see anyone that looked the least bit out of the ordinary. I gave up in my wonder and turned back to CJ. I was going to beg of her to analyze as many people as she could, but she was already nodding her head. "I'm on it." She spent little time glancing around the room. "Fenton keeps fidgeting, signaling he's nervous about what Coach History is gonna say about his home country. Ian is consistently tapping his fingers and keeps shifting around, meaning he's bored. Gabe's mouth is twitching erratically- signaling how he's refraining from smart-talking the teacher. Don's eyes squint then twitch." CJ smiled at this.

I looked at her expectantly. "Meaning..?" I really didn't want that note to be from Don. He was a slob and a showoff- _strong, confident, outgoing_…no, please!

"Meaning he has to go pee. Really bad." She chuckled. "Everyone else seems pretty neutral, bored, and calm. Oh-" CJ seemed to have a brain spasm; she looked at me and whispered, "Look at Don's row and try to catch his attention."

I gulped back my fear and did as she said. No less than a minute later, Ray's eyes were staring back at mine, that cocky little smirk starting in his eyes. I averted them and kept looking at Don. "Jealousy. Ray is jealous and angry. The way his tongue keeps moving back and forth in his mouth means he wants to do or say something, badly. I knew it. It was a slight movement of his eyes as they 'glanced' at you." CJ's smile was bright, as if she figured out a Morris coded message. Keep looking at Don and you'll see for yourself." She whispered.

Again, I did as she said and waited until Don picked up on the fact that I was looking at him. His eyes slows came to mine, the crystal blue slightly slitting. Seconds later, Ray's open hand shoved his shoulder against the wall, leaving Don to rub his offended body part. I looked away and right into CJ's eyes. There was no way to come back from this one. Ray was a cute guy- he had one of the noblest abilities, he made good grades, and he had a sweet personality to him. Oh, who was I kidding? Was I really making a resume for a guy who merely passed me a "love note"? I knew that I was getting way too ahead of myself.

I let my mind slip away from the incident in History until the next day in Art. I never noticed Ray sat behind me until I was concentrating on my Lotus, and yet I couldn't concentrate at all. Little pieces of papers kept hitting my back and bun of hair until I shifted my body quickly and glared him down. "Ray." I said in surprise. I didn't expect him to be the culprit. So when he threw the last piece of paper mache, not expecting my movement, it hit me square in the nose.

"Sorry." His face morphed, as if he wanted to laugh yet wash my hands in is apologies.

"Whatever." I mumbled under my breath and turned back around.

No, he was the same old Ray.


	2. Ray to the Rescue

"They know." Ian whispered in my ear as we passed each other in the hall. My whole body tensed as the world I knew came crumbling down around me. I saw Gabe lounging at the bulletin, where he was eyeing the new debate club formed by Emily. His eyes danced around until they met mine. The brown opals drooped a little behind his spectacles as he nodded and sunk his lower lip in- the typical sad face of Gabe. My breath hitched and my eyes couldn't catch enough light. I was scared.

Who could have known? Just how much do they know? Did they find the secret labraortory- or sanctuary where we kept everything in evidence? Did they know we took items from Cornelius Tower's office? Did the gnomes close in on the tunnels we found? I made a bee line to CJ's room. I had an itching feeling we were all in for it no matter how much reassuring Ian would give that Headmaster would believe it was only him. My dad would kill me. "CJ." I whispered as I opened her door. The look on her face was to die for- literally. "CJ?" I walked towards her, my arm outstretched carefully.

"I'll catch up later, Suki. I-I…" I gave her a queer look. I sometimes wished I could decipher emotions like she could.

"She's busy right now." Cal's voice rang from behind me. She and I shared a look- but the one she sent me was very different. Why would she have him in her room? Wasn't he a gnome already? CJ knew gnomes were our enemy!

"CJ? We need to talk." I kept trying to slip her hints about exactly what we needed to converse about.

"We'll talk in Physics? Cal needs help with some homework. I know, Suki. He told me." She muttered the last part. I nodded and turned to look at Cal. There wasn't one scratch on him, and he didn't look the least bit phased about that fact that all four of us knew his secret. He had that cocky-innocent look that said he knew our secret, too.

"Hey, Suki." I offered a fake smile back and stormed of out her room. How dare him! How dare that stupid bimbo waltz right back into her life, and she would just let him!

I was in a heated rant as I walked to lunch. My tech club had kept me away all morning, so I didn't get the message until now! It was Friday, two days away from the miraculous day that we would escape. Ian's plans were fool proof. We would loop the rope, throw it over, survive on the food Gabe collected, and make that important call when we reached the pinnacle of our journey. But now, if they knew…there would be no way to escape from West Campus. As I passed Coach History on my way to the cafeteria, I noticed the odd look on his face. I thought it said, "Aren't you supposed to be escaping already". I shook the feeling and sent him a polite nod and smile and went on my way. Not everyone could know.

I strolled to Whisper's microwave, lonely and tired. Ian was off, playing an ever-lasting hero. Gabe was trying desperately, somewhere on campus, to get a girl or fit in. CJ…well, CJ was too busy with Cal- that was dangerous. Almost as dangerous as our escape. The escape that was now, veto. "Good Afternoon, Miss Sota." The robotic voice never got old. "Your favorite. A slice of pizza and a cold chef salad."

"Thanks, Whisper." Even though a large part of me hated her, I had to admit she helped us all many times before. All of the warnings she gave to Ian- all of the little favors she gave to us.

"You are welcome, Miss Sota. Have a wonderful day. Sometimes you must join the opposite team to know the opposite team." I almost dropped my meal when Whisper spoke out of turn. She had never paid me a second word.

"What does that mean?" I questioned her quietly. I looked around to see if anyone heard.

"Have a wonderful day, Miss Sota." She repeated her farewell and began speaking to another student who had just walked next to me. I nodded to the machine and found a quiet table to sit at. _Sometimes you must join the opposite team to know the opposite team._ Did everyone like to speak in riddles these days?

"Good morning, Suki." I looked up to see who called me. Ray Snyder, one of the cutest jocks I knew, came strolling to me. Don and Zack in tow, of course.

"Hello…Ray." Wasn't I supposed to call him by his last name or something? I believed that's what enemies did. After his throw down with Ian a few weeks over before Gabe's election, I knew I shouldn't be talking to him. It was hard- I was pulled by some unnatural magnetic force to him.

"Catch up with you guys later." Ray brushed them off and across from me. "How's your day going?"

"Good." _Until you showed up_. Ray was an immature brat who hazed Ian and mercilessly messed with him all the way until he got a new roomy. Fenton. That made me smile.

"Well, mine is great now that you're here." Ray leaned across the table and reached for my hand. I quickly snatched mine away.

"Did you give me that note?" I stared him down until he chuckled and leaned back into his seat.

"And if I did? It's not like I can approach you like normal people do. Your three lapdogs might go off." The concise sneer he wore made me cringe. It was dangerous scorning a man like him. He was beyond powerful, beyond strong. Not to mention, he was a Rook.

"They're my friends." I warned. He put his hands up in mock surrender. "They're only looking out for what's best for me. Isn't that what Don and Zack do?" The look I shot him told him otherwise.

"We're all friends of convenience. When you find out the truth, Suki, you'll know that having a follower is much more tactful then the accumulation of best friends." Ray began eating his hamburger, offering me a fry. I shook my head. His mood swings were horrible.

"Then why are you talking to me? Why are you trying so hard to be nice? You have to know that I would never be one of your 'followers', Ray." I challenged his glance.

"Because I like you." Ray's reply was short and sweet, yet not so simple. "I like you more than anyone I've ever liked, even before my life at Tower. You're simple, selfless, and beautiful, Suki. You're the only one I want to be nice to. I want to do so much more than just talk to you. Trust me." He was speaking to me- just to me. My cheeks flushed a dark red at his words.

I averted my eyes to my salad and began eating. I could feel his eyes burning into my head, but I just couldn't look back up at him. No one had ever said that to me before. No one had ever liked me, or felt so strongly about me. I felt the table shake as he slammed his hands against it and got up. I flinched as I heard the cafeteria doors slam closed. Students whispered conspicuously as he departed. His food sat across from me, taunting me with its brave pre-owner. What did I just do?

Ray Snyder just asked me out and I couldn't even look him in the eye and face it? I left him hanging- a man with an ego the size of Alaska- after he just confessed all of his innermost feelings! I liked him. Maybe not as much as he liked me, but I did have feelings for him. I could sit there and allow one of the kindest guys pass right by me. Or I could follow him and tell him I shared his feelings. It was hard.

Who knew what would happen? My dad could step back into the picture at any time and take me away from all of this. That could hurt Ray more than he thought. But if I was waiting for all of the horrible what-ifs to come true, I would be stuck in a lonely world all by myself. Being the courteous person I was, I grabbed both of our lunches and tossed them out before running down the hall, searching for Ray's raven head among the bustle. I became frustrated, not seeing him anywhere. I bumped into someone along the way, causing a ripple in the crowd. "I'm sorry." I apologized quickly.

Abel Corner only looked at me hard. He was the Capitan of the yellow team, ever since Cal's disappearance. "Watch it, Sota." He made a bee line towards me and knocked off all of my books from my hands. I gave him an incredulous look.

"I said I was sorry-"

"And I said watch it." Abel's girlfriend, Cece Logan, gave me a look that said just to take it. I had Psychology with her, and she was a nice girl. Too nice to be with a jerk like Abel.

"Back off, Abel." Ray's soothing voice was music to my ears. If I was fearless like CJ and strong like Ray, I would be a force to be reckoned with.

"It's just Suki Sota. And without Archer. Perfect timing, Ray." Abel chuckled maliciously, as if he had just scored the lottery.

"Leave her alone and get to class." Ray was dangerously close to his ear.

Abel gave him a odd look. "What's up, dude? It's just a girl." Abel pushed him off.

"And she is my girl. Now, go." Ray sneered down at Abel, who turned to him and laughed in his face.

"Really? Wow, Ray, you've got it bad. She's cute," Abel gave me a scrutinizing look, "but she's not a rook's girl material." He muttered the last part and stormed away, Cece soothing his ego.

I was still immobile as the crowd around us scattered, leaving Ray to pick up my books and slide my shoulder bag off my shoulder. "I'll walk you to our next class." He beckoned me. I came to from my shock when we were entering our Anatomy class.

"Thank you. I… I tried to find you. I wanted to tell you that-"

"Suki! Are you okay?" CJ and Ian rushed to me, curious looks on their face. "Snyder." Ian gave him a fleeting look.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ray helped me. A lot." I admitted, to which CJ gave me an incredulous look.

"There seems to be a new hero in town, Archer." Ray teased him. But these two boys never learned how to tease. They only knew how to fight.

"Oh, yeah? Well if it wasn't for your _friend_, Suki would have never been harassed in the hallway-"

"Are you saying-?"

"Boys, alright!" I stepped in-between them. "Let's just sit down." CJ whispered something in Ian's ear that made him follow her. Ray tailed me all the way to my seat, where he placed my things next to me and leaned in. I arched a questioning eyebrow at him.

"What? The hero doesn't get a gratitude kiss when he saves the pretty girl from an evil villain? I thought that's how those stories went." The sparkle in his brown eyes made me see stars; he was so close to me. I looked around the room and noticed that no one was yet looking at me. I leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek when he turned his face and caught my lips. I gasped in the kiss and departed faster than he thought.

His cheeky smile was present nonetheless. "Now I feel like a real superhero." He winked at me before walking back to his seat with Zack. Gabe plopped down next to me a few minutes later.

"You look happy." His sideways smile made me giggle. There were just some things about Gabe that never grew old. "Whisper must have given you an extra cookie today." Gabe could never guess what made me so happy. No one could.

Because the truth was, I liked Ray. I liked him more than anyone could imagine.


	3. Take Heart!

Ray POV-

"Are you saying I'm jealous?'' I quirked an eyebrow at the prettiest girl in Tower. She sat there in ease, not letting anything phase her, least of me.

"You said it yourself, Ray." Her sweet voice followed by her irreplaceable giggle. The mistletoe above Ariel and Rochelle's door (one that always sickened me) would have come in handy to hang above us. There was nothing more I wanted to do than hold her close to me and kiss her senseless. What Don said was true. Suki irreversibly had my heart.

Just the night before, I sat alone in my bed and considered all of the possibilities. There was a quaint dance being thrown on Friday by one of Suki's little friends, CJ, and I was going to take Suki. Though dances weren't my thing (**at all**), I suddenly wanted to. It would the first of the year- the first of many years. Sabe Horne, the standing Rooks president, requested my presence in the lair after our usual meeting. There, he spoke of a jump of rankings- his position. He knew my potential- he knew of my hate of Ian. It was perfect. The only drawback to such a proposal was Suki herself. Fenton, Emily, and I all knew of their plans. Sure, we didn't know all of the details. The map spoke for itself. I wanted a life with Suki- inside or outside of Tower, it didn't matter right now. After we found the map in the observatory, we all agreed to keep quiet about it. I was only more drawn to Suki and her fiery spirit. Emily only thought higher of Ian. Fenton…well, Fenton was too sacred about the whole concept to really think anything. Though Gabe was more afraid of me then anything else, he still posed a threat. If there were only a way to get her completely clear of Gabriel Forrest…

"Oh, I gotta go." She checked her PDA and collected all of her books.

"It's Christmas Eve. Why the rush? There's no class for another week." I leaned on my recline chair and stared her down mercilessly.

Her slanted eyes, the ones that mesmerized me so, flickered form her phone to me. "I've got to meet up with CJ, Ian, and Gabe. Gift exchange." She offered a quick smile. "See you around." She waved goodbye and slipped out of the door. The only reason she came by was to "help" me with a History assignment. Otherwise, she wouldn't be caught dead walking out of Ray Snyder's dorm after five o clock on a Friday night. On Christmas Eve.

Tower owned a large Christmas tree; real but too massive for a domestic comparison, which was decorated nicely by the Student Body. It was placed in the gravel pathway towards the entry- perfect if passerbys ever passed by. Suki skipped out on dinner with me to help Forrest decorate it- even if there were twelve other members of Student Body to help. A part of me could tell she was only nice to me to keep the inner-beast at bay. She knew what I was capable of- everyone knew. But she had to know I would never hurt her…

Once I was the Rook leader, I would have her on my arm. She would be my girl and I would show her off to everyone. I would tell her I was a Rook. I would put everything out in the open…Suki Sato would be mine.

**Suki POV-**

"Late." Gabe announced as soon as I peeped my head through the door. Ian and CJ only smiled.

"He's been like this ever since last week when we thought of Secret Santa." Ian smirked. "He's been dying to tell me who he got. I don't think he gets the whole concept." Ian enveloped me in a hug and muttered a quick Merry Christmas. I called it back and gave the other two hugs.

"I think I'm starting to get it." CJ reserved her talk for Ian, and all of us (excluding Ian himself) knew it.

"Great." He breezed by her advance. "Who's going first?"

"Me." I pulled out bag which contained a vintage butterfly clip I found at the student store a few days ago. There were only two located on campus, both costly. CJ's eyes lit up when she saw the clip and watered when she hugged me. Ian gave his gift to Gabe, whom smiled brightly. I didn't know where he came up with it, but Gabe wore his oversized sombrero with pride. CJ pulled out a stringy mess and sat it on Ian's lap. "Merry Christmas." She looked as if her nerves were frazzled and I immediately took pity.

Ian eyed the material suspiciously before picking it up and inspecting it. The tummy of the fabric had a large, crooked "I" in yellow, the fabric having been an indigo blue. I supposed it was a sweater. "T-thank you, CJ. I love it." Ian lied through his teeth. I distracted CJ quickly, hoping she wouldn't read Ian so easy. It seemed like she worked really hard… it just wasn't pretty at all.

Gabe handed over my gift- a sloppily wrapped collection of Swing music. "Figured it would always keep good memories." He shrugged innocently. I smiled and nodded happily, requesting Ian to play it on the machine. He did and we all danced goofily- each not knowing a lick about this kind of music but loving it nonetheless. It reminded us of our mission, and how important it was that we fully accomplish it. It reminded me of my brother Shinji and his betrayal. It reminded me of my parents, and how they sent me here knowingly. Though it reminded us all of many different things, we had each other.

Later, CJ and I discussed some plans for the dance. "I'm thinking light blue and lavender streamers?..." CJ was listing off colors when my PDA started buzzing. My hand went to my pocket and quickly silenced it. I went back to my conversation with her and we quickly got lost in the rest of the details. Right before eleven, we all crawled back to our rooms and tactfully avoided security- which seemed to be extra nocturnal. "Suki." A voice hissed in my ear. I jumped and made a comical face as I saw Ray's face configure in the darkness. I was close to unlocking my dorm, which I shared with Casey Smith and Annie Torrid (both of whom were at an Environmental Science Faire, held near the woods for their advanced "advanced" class).

"Ray?" I hissed back. I swung open my door in irritation and heard it slam shut behind him. I spun around, angry that he was taking his anger out on objects that were mine. "Don't-"

"You ignored my calls and texts. You ran out on me earlier without an explanation-"

"Excuse me? I told you where I was going- hardly "running out"! And I don't have to explain myself to you." I stood up to him, even if he was about a foot taller than me.

"I was worried, Suki." Ray took a few breaths, as if he were calming himself.

"You shouldn't be. I can take care of myself." I walked past him and brushed his shoulder roughly, as if to prove it. I was about to slip off my sweater when he spun me around and thrashed my back against the hard wood of the walls.

"How about now? Huh?" He slammed his hands against the wall, trapping my face to level with his. "I can lift five hundred pounds of weight, and my hit is twice as hard. I can outrun you, tenfold. There are more just like me, swarming around here. I feel so strong sometimes… one wrong move and I can crush somebody's bones." Ray spoke harshly against my ear. I felt trapped- like a poor mouse right between a cat and a hard place. He brought his fist down upon the wall and left a large indentation. I gasped at the near proximity of the blow. You could hear the plaster crumble. "I leave marks so easily." He was almost saddened by his own statement, but as he gripped my wrists and brought them to either side of my face, I knew he wasn't that sorrowed. The anger that flashed through his eyes was gone when he kissed my palm, then my wrist, trailing soft kisses down my arms and up my neck. "So easy." He muttered before sucking on the sensitive part of my neck. I began to lose myself in his sweet sensations.

I fought the allure by thrashing against him, pushing and swinging and missing. "Please, Suki." He was gritting his teeth as I kept on. I was not going to let him win. I was not going to allow him to think it was that easy. His temper would need to be fixed. His temper would need to be controlled. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to scare you." He muttered into my hair.

"Please go, Ray. Please." That was my last front before I melted into his embrace. Sure, he was cocky, hot tempered, a bit selfish…but that's what made him so overprotective. The fact that he was strong could serve me a large benefit. I didn't see him changing anytime soon- I didn't see him ever being like Gabe, or even Ian.

"_I_ am strong. You are only strong-_minded_, Suki." He looked down into my eyes as he spoke; perhaps he was looking for a part of me that believed him. "I know something about Tower that you and your crew don't. I want to tell you, but I have to trust you first." I nodded slowly. Where was he going with this? "If you accompany me to the New Year Formal, I'm sure our trust will be solid." The devilish look never left his eyes.

Logically, there was no way you could prove loyalty through a dance. He was just trying to get me to go- I was near declining. But the information could be good… what if he had no real information at all? "Okay. But if you don't hold your end of the deal-"

"You'll send your little lapdogs out to get to me. Yeah, I know." He let go of my wrists and moved his hands down my body, resting on my hips. "Suki…" he let my name trail out. I quirked an eyebrow at him. Ray knew I was uncomfortable like this… he knew I didn't enjoy being touched. "Allow me to kiss you. I'll give you anything you desire."

I contemplated what I wanted. Other than the information I knew he wasn't going to give until after the dance, I suppose I wanted… well, I didn't really want anything. "I want a scarf." I told him firmly. The scarves were too expensive at the store; and I didn't really favor the school spirit ones. He had already kissed me for free; the second one was going to cost him.

"It's yours." He smiled and leaned down to kiss me. I closed my eyes and lost myself to it. He did something no one else had ever done. He…well, Ray umm… he sort of stuck his tongue in my mouth. I was at first revolted and made sure my tongue was far from his. But then when he began to massage it, my tongue allowed him whatever he pleased. Obviously he knew more than me about this. But what he said earlier replayed in my mind… _I am strong. You are only strong-minded._


	4. Formal Part 1

"_A... Rook?" My lower lip wobbled as I sat under the fluorescent lights- the ones that survived the fight, of course. My mascara ran from my eyelashes, staining my cheeks a dark hue. Gabe nodded in confirmation. "Oh my god." I whimpered into the shoulder he offered. The middle of my blue satin dress was stained with the contents of that spilled against it. My hair was messy all around me from the struggle earlier._

**A few days before-**

"What a pretty scarf, Suki." Maple Simmons sent me a fine tuned look as she passed by at breakfast. I smiled back in thanks and tucked the cashmere into my grey zip up. In retrospect, Ian wore his ridiculous sweater. Gabe plopped down next to me in his hoodie and athletic pants. Funny- he wasn't in any sports.

"That _is_ cute." CJ fingered the intricate patterns of the fine fabric before turning back to her food. "So do you have a dress for Saturday?" She quirked a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. I nodded. Ray insisted that we shop for it at the Building C Student Store the next day. The dance was two days away- two days from finding out a secret that could help all of us. Ian wouldn't have to be the only one who found everything out.

Gabe rolled his eyes and Ian followed. "We're just going _chillaxed_." Gabe sent us a lopsided grin.

"It's Formal attire only, Gabe. Dress code." I stressed the words in Headmaster's voice.

"Fine." He shrugged his shoulders. "We'll go get our suits today, won't we, Ian?" Gabe slapped him on the back. Ian scrunched his nose, but his ego couldn't pass up the chance to make CJ smile. So he did a double-thought and nodded. "Great. Since there's no class, Ian and I figured that we'd…catch up on some homework."

I sent CJ a look and she chuckled. "Yeah, right, Gabe. Save it." She turned to him and read his expression quickly.

"No fair, CJ! I don't use my high persuasion on you. You shouldn't use yours-"

"My ability is harmless! And it's not like I even had to read you to know you were lying. What are you guys really up to?" CJ tapped her fingers against the wooden table and impatiently stared. Gabe gave up on his cereal, and as usual Ian didn't touch his plate.

"Just tell them, Ian." Gabe's eyes flickered between Ian and us.

"We're going to the woods today. Emily's information says that gnomes are double-duty for the winter break, and there are lots more of them. But we need you two to stay here. Headmaster and the rest of the teachers will get too suspicious if all four of us go. Our alibi is the dance committee you two have set up. We didn't want to say anything because we didn't want you two to get involved. That's all." Ian whispered quietly, making sure no one heard. The morning cafeteria was abuzz with everyone.

"The Broken say that the wall isn't real. We need to see that for ourselves." Gabe leaned across the table. "We might even find some of the Broken while we're out there. Never know." He studied our faces. "You guys are working hard on this dance thing. Stay and finish it up and we'll be back before seven to get our clothes." I found myself too easy to oblige. Both CJ and I nodded. I even felt content with my answer, as if that were just the thing I wanted him to say.

Not until later that night did I figure out I was under his high persuasion. Gabriel Forrest used such wrong tactics sometimes!

**New Years Formal-**

I glanced down at my PDA, no new messages from CJ. I expected her to rush me to help. Gabe and Ian got their tuxes like they promised and just left my room a few moments ago. I was going to warn Ian that CJ would be sharing the night with Cal, but I didn't have the guts- or maybe I just didn't have the heart to. I wasn't sure what CJ was doing with Cal; to me, he was unsafe and highly suspicious. I didn't know Gnomes could even go to school dances.

I guess he wasn't a Gnome anymore? My eyes flickered to the long mirror on the wall- the one Casey and Anna often were glued to. I guess I wasn't bad. The cute little dress I found was modest enough, yet pretty to look at it. A white frill petty coat lined the bottom, which barely grazed my knees. I was only going on this date for a mission. This was strictly professional. This was strictly business.

So I never could figure out why I jumped at the two knocks at the door. Since when did Ray ever frighten me? Sure, he rattled my nerves some. But I was never nervous. Never around Ray. I opened the door and was nearly blinded by the shining light that was Ray Snyder. He seemed to glow and float into my room. I barely registered the placing of my corsage; if I thought he was good-looking in his uniform, I had another thing coming when he was all cleaned up- dressed top dollar. "You're beautiful, Suki Sato." As commonly known, I blushed at his compliment. Sometimes I found myself to be too much of a girl and too less of hero-material.

"Thanks. So are you. I mean- good, not 'beautiful' as in a girl…because I'm totally not calling you a girl! I'll just…I'll…stop…now." I shut my mouth and waited for his reaction. Couldn't I be normal for just a little while? There was nothing that mattered more than getting this info.

"Thanks, Suki." He smiled and took it in stride. Gosh, I was so going to ruin this! Instead of basking in the awkward atmosphere, he slid his elbow into the nook of mine and walked out of the door. I grabbed my PDA and slipped it into the strap of my heels (the only other safe place being my bra). "You don't go anywhere without that thing, do you?" He sounded almost bitter. And perhaps a bit jealous?

"It's my lifeline. Solace amongst imprisonment." I crafted some good words together that made him smile and pretend to laugh.

"I just thought it was going to be me and you tonight is all, Suki. When you have it with you, it's like your priorities change completely." I slowed down our stroll and turned to him.

I tilted my face and pursed my face. "Don't you mean that when I have it, I'm not paying complete attention to you? That is my communication with my friends when I'm not with them, Ray." I argued back.

"Well then it mustn't be used a whole lot, seeing as you're never too far from them." Ray's face had some color from his strained voice. He wasn't yelling, yet his booming voice carried over greatly. "I'm sorry." He spoke quickly and grabbed my hand. "Let's just go to the dance and forget about it." I was going to snatch my hand away from him, but I remembered our deal. I had to spend the whole night with him in order to receive my end.

"Okay." I surrendered to his grueling allure and walked right into the decorated Commons with him. I feared the time when we would have to do so. None of the scenarios I imagined took place. The party didn't stop what they were doing to rudely stare, no one whispered rumors behind their hands, and the music kept playing. No one even really noticed us. Perfect.

I intentionally avoided Gabe and Ina, whom I could see sulking at the back of the room. CJ occasionally brought cookies or punch to them- those pathetic guys. "Do you wanna dance?" Ray placed his hand over mine and took me out to the platform before I had a chance to reject him. The slow song played for at least five minutes; all the while I tried desperately to stay out of their view. Nothing could be worse than them finding out. When the next song came on, he held me to him and kept our dancing until my feet grew too tired and I told him so. "How about we leave? This is fun and all, but I think the lake would be more exciting." He whispered into my ear.

I blushed and shriveled away from him. "No thanks, Ray. CJ and I worked really hard for tonight. The lake will be there next time." I hated that I was leading him on to believe there was a next time. I would not be going out to a lake with him late at night. Ever. Cal bumped into me on our way back to our table, CJ trailing behind him.

"Suki." CJ's voice sounded shocked and almost frightened. She acted as if she had just seen me naked.

"CJ." I mocked her frazzled voice. Not in my mimicry, of course. Ray and I both knew what my abuse of mimicry did to people.

"Ian. Gabe." The one syllable words she used confused me. What- was she reminding me of the consequences? She didn't even know what I was doing! "Behind you."

I froze.

_**A/N: More to come, more to come!**_


	5. Formal Part 2

"You're here with Ray?" Gabe's voice crossed Ian's, which was turned solely to Cal and CJ.

"That a problem, Forrest?" Ray pulled me behind him and challenged Gabe's glare. Ian ignored CJ's nervous explanation and stuck his self between Gabe and Ray.

"Yeah, it is, Snyder. Suki's our friend. And we don't want you to be around her." Ian's chest stuck out, just as Ray's did. I was strategizing how I could get out of this situation as quick as I could. I grabbed Ray's hand and yanked him away.

"Just let it go." I whispered and pulled him to the dance floor, where I wrapped my arms around him and swayed to the song. I hated dancing in front of everyone or even being this close to Ray, but I had to. I felt his heartbeat so near to my ear that I shook with fear at what he wanted to do. Ian and Gabe needed to leave me to my own business sometimes. It's not like I could just approach them and say that I was going out with Ray for information, like some cheap vixen.

"For you, I will." He replied and kissed the top of my head. The sweet nectar of the corsage he bought me teased my nostrils as it sat across his broad shoulders. My hands connected behind his neck, his arms encircled my waist. I was almost too comfortable- I was almost too content. "I thought they knew." His voice brimmed. "Your clan knows everything that happens here." He chuckled. "Almost everything, I guess." He looked down at me and caught my glance.

"I guess." I replied smoothly. He wasn't going to get a reaction out of me. A beep went off on his cell and I gave him a condescending look. Just a few hours before he was complaining I couldn't live without mine, and here he was answering his texts while we were trying to dance!

"Let's go, Suki. I'll tell you what you want to know." I weighed my options. I assumed he would give me the secret before we left the dance. Though he didn't make the rules clear, I thought that'd be it. I nodded reluctantly and allowed him to pull me by my hand out of the dance. I caught Gabe's desperate face before Ray dragged me completely away.

As we ran from the Café to the next building, our bodies became soaked with the hard, warm rain falling on us. I giggled insanely when he picked me up and carried me to the next dorm building. I grew nervous when he passed my dorm and went to the next floor where his dorm was. When he opened the door and threw me on the bed, I gasped regally. He locked his door and rushed swaggered to the bed, slowing every step- making me anticipate, yet curl away.

He leaped unto the bed, straddling my body and held my wrist in one of his tight-gripped hands above my head. I noticed the deep red abrasion on the skin between his thumb and index finger and cringed at the scar it would leave. I asked him about it the day before, but he brushed it off with nonchalance. His other hand went to my side and began to mercilessly tickle me. My breath came in hard intervals and I struggled for sense. I got one hand loose and attempted to push his chest away. My face was getting a dark red as the giggles kept coming. "Ray!" I screamed in between giggles.

"If you say mercy and kiss me, I'll stop." Ray's face was dangerously close to mine. I brought his face even closer and teased his lips.

"Never." I murmured. His face grew pink, not realizing how big of a tease I was capable of being. Since I was a lot weaker then him and had less self-control, I needed to gain my power somewhere with him. I had the feeling that we would be working together a lot more. He murmured something that sounded a lot like "prude" but I paid no attention. If I was a prude, than he was a whore.

**Ray POV-**

Suki was my sweetheart. Nothing felt better than dancing with her in my arms; her small body in my arms as we swayed in such peace. I was a jock and no match for her, but I would try to be more for her. I would try my best to be exactly what she wanted. I had never felt so loved than when she ignored her friend's fussing and held onto me on the dance floor. A large part of me hoped that telling her my information wouldn't send her straight back into Archer's arms.

I smiled as I looked down at her. Suki's thin eyes were nearly gone as she rested in her mess of giggles. "If you say mercy and kiss me, I'll stop." I whispered to her. I was very addicted to her kisses. They taunted me- in class, at practice, when Stephanie kissed me behind the café. I was so in need of Suki, yet she was so untouchable eating with that Forrest kid…and he kept making her laugh! I was so upset I nearly blew up with anger. I rushed out of breakfast and found the first girl I passed. Stephanie had a crush on me since my first day, and I was regretful to say that I used that to my full advantage. Behind Building C, I shut my eyes and pretended Stephanie was Suki. I was going to go further than kiss, but Suki's face popped onto my head and I couldn't do it. I sent Stephanie Pole away with a rude brush-off and a feigned smirk. I almost expected the girl to cry.

But no, she wasn't Suki. Had someone ever mistreated Suki, she would take it to heart and get all worked up over it. Kisses and sweet words meant so much to her. She was the product of a fairytale, and I loved it. I loved loving a girl who was so kind and gentle, yet so dangerous and daring. Stephanie Pole only shrugged it off, as if she half-expected it. My wonderful Suki expected the best and noblest of a man- of me. Suki Sato finally admitted mercy and pecked my lips when I hadn't expected her to. Just when I was ready to lean in again, her phone vibrated against my leg. I shut my eyes and backed off of her completely. That damn PDA was such a turnoff.

**Suki POV-**

I thanked god that my phone went off when it did. He roughly leaped off of me and went to another side of the room. I got up slowly and reached to the strap and pulled my phone out. _Suki, get away from Ray Snyder as fast as you can! There's trouble here. –Gabe_. I looked from the text to Ray then back to my PDA. What kind of trouble? "Ray, I gotta go." I got up from the bed and made my way to the door. His hand shot up to halt my departure.

"Don't go, Suki." His eyes seemed as if they had watered the tiniest bit. "Please don't." His voice grew stronger, yet he had no egotistical drawl I remembered.

"Ray, my friend's are in trouble. They need me more right now than you do. I'm sorry but I have to go and help them." I said, heading for the door.

"What about our deal? Or is that of no importance to you any more?" Ray asked bitterly and with more than a hint of jealously. I was leaving him for my friends- and that was all he could see through his narrow-minded state.

"What _about_ our deal? And of course it's still important to me!" I exclaimed irritated at Ray as I stopped to turn and face him. This whole macho-man and possessive jerk front was really starting to get on my last nerve! One minute, he could be the sweetest guy on the entire planet, then the next he could be the biggest jerk in the whole world! It was just so frustrating sometimes!

"Well if you still want that information then your friends are gonna have to wait, aren't they? If the information is as important as you say it is then you will stay here with me." Ray said sounding smug and like his usual self. So much like his usual self that I couldn't believe that he was pleading just awhile ago! I sometimes wondered if he was bipolar.

"I'm sorry Ray, but my friends could be in serious trouble right now and they need me. Maybe some other time I could get the information that _apparently_ is really important." I said as I took once last look at Ray and went to help my friends.

"Hey guys, are you okay?" I asked as I saw Ian, CJ, and Gabe standing when I entered the Cafe. Their somber expressions instantly made me nervous of what had happened while I was gone. Ian only looked at CJ, who pursed her lips. That was never a good sign.

"Macy said she got chills and foresaw a big fight, but she couldn't see just who was fighting. We've been waiting…I just can't imagine who-" her voice got wobbly and so did her bottom lip.

Ian clutched her to his body, earning a death glare from Cal. Just as I was about to soothe her, a loud bang and the strong slam of the door stopped me. In walked too many men to count. All were in masks that resembled crows- crows like that belonged to a farm. "Party?" One of them called out, his voice raspy and leering.

"Seems like we've interrupted something, most exalted one." They all laughed at their own jokes- how cliché. But as one of them looked right at me, I got the chills Macy Wayne spoke of. They were frightening creatures; the masks only amplified their animosity. "You didn't think that we'd miss out on some fun, did you now? Too say the least, this looked like it _could have been_ a really fun party, it's just that we_ Rooks_ think that we could make it more _exciting_ too say the least." And with his mantra, he picked up a table and nearly threw it to the other side of the room.

Screams erupted through the Cafe and several bodies began to run out of the building. More chairs and tables were tossed; some broke lights, some broke windows. CJ erupted into tears, and I held her close. Ian and Cal raced to who they assumed was the leader. "This isn't right." Ian attempted the civil approach.

"Back off or we'll rip the heads off of all of these punks." Cal shot at him. He took the more barbaric approach.

"Oh yeah?" The man titled his face, the mask twitching slightly. "Who? The _two_ of you?" He chuckled, his buddies laughing with him.

"Yeah. Watch us." Cal put his fists up, as if he could rid the world of all evil by himself. Ian eyed him for a second, and did as Cal did. They were the craziest kids on campus- they always had to save the day.

"Headmaster." I whispered to CJ, who shook her head fiercely.

"No-No, I can't leave Ian and Cal." Her wet eyes were too much, but I couldn't leave Ian alone either. My eyes traveled to anyone who was brave enough to slip away, and I caught the eyes of Stephanie Pole. I nodded to her and she took the incentive. Her ability allowed her to morph into walls. She stood behind a fright-stricken group of people and stealthily escaped. I prayed she would do as I hoped.

The room broke out into a fight; guys were swinging left and right, not caring the damage they did. I felt useless in all of the corruption. I backed away from an oncoming Rook, causing a bowl of punch to splatter against my dress. I clutched at the table clothes, my hands getting dirty from the cake and sweets of the night. As the Rook approached me he balled up his fists and was about to hit me when Gabe launched himself in front of me and got hit in the arm. I felt around for something that could possibly knock the Rook out and my hand found a leg from one of the many broken chairs. When the Rook was close enough to me I hit him directly on the top of his head. He fell when the leg connected with his head. I sighed in relief, but that was short lived as Gabe gasped as if _he had got hit_ with that leg instead of the Rook. I went over to him then and he cried out in pain as I touched his arm.

"Suki, go on without me!" Gabe said as he closed his eyes and went completely still on the floor.

I sighed in frustration at Gabe's dramatic act and murmured "Sure, sure, Gabe- just don't go near the bright light now would you? We still need you here to protect us from evil." With that, he gave me a cheesy grin and still laid there non-moving. I looked up to see if anyone needed my help and a certain Rook's hand caught my eye. It had the same deep red abrasion on the skin between his thumb and index finger. I instantly got the chills as I remembered that Ray had the same mark on his left hand. It couldn't be! I shut my eyes against the truth and tried to lose him in the crowd. My eyes still kept finding his hand. As headmaster's feet approached, one Rook shouted something at everyone else. They all quickly vanished.

As Headmaster approached, we all looked at him through wounded eyes.

**An hour later-**

"A... Rook?" My lower lip wobbled as I sat under the fluorescent lights- the ones that survived the fight, of course. My mascara ran from my eyelashes, staining my cheeks a dark hue. Gabe nodded in confirmation. "Oh my god." I whimpered into the shoulder he offered. The middle of my blue satin dress was stained with the contents of that spilled against it. My hair was messy all around me from the struggle earlier.

I had to ask. I had to know. "I'm sorry." Gabe looked at me with guarded eyes. "That's why Ian and I didn't want you around him. He's dangerous." Gabe's words were most definitely true.

**A/N: So what does this mean for Suki and Ray? Special thanks to my fabulous cousin Jesse for working on this while I partied the day away! **

**To "CallXMeXLight"- I like Ruki, too! Haven't heard any of those…and I was wondering if there were any fanfic sites of Tower Prep yet? **


	6. Lies!

**A/N: So, what did you guys think of the last chapter? Pretty confusing, right? Well, I'm here to add to that confusion just a little bit more. Who agrees with me that the Season Finale was just LIKE Tower Prep? The more answers you're given, the more questions you have?**

Gabe clicked off of my PDA and handed it back to me for the third time that day. Ray kept sending me SMS messages and frequently called. I knew that if I kept it in my hand for too long, I would want to text him back or return his call. That was a big no-no. He needed to know that I was angry, and utterly hurt. "Stay strong, Suki." Gabe's hand covered mine soothingly. His crooked smile made me remember the perfect, almost aristocratic smirk Ray owned to himself. The visual stayed with me throughout the day.

"Suki?" CJ waved a hand in front of my face during History. I was zoning out again. "Suki, come on." CJ said incredulously, picking up my bag. I got up and followed her quickly down the few steps. On my way out of the door, Ray Snyder caught my arm. I looked down at the spot where he grabbed my arm, just a little further from my elbow than my wrist. The hand he used was the one that made him so recognizable.

"Look, I'm sorry about Formal. I shouldn't have yelled at you-" His hair was a bit more in his face than usual. I could see the dark circles beneath his eyes deepen when he looked at me. Good. I wished he was miserable.

"Quit it, Ray." I snapped at him.

"Excuse me?" His voice strained, his self-control very obviously slipping.

"You had better get that cut checked out. Wouldn't want to bleed all over your Rook costume." I sneered down at him. I felt all icky inside being so mean- being so _Ray_. It was hard liking Ray because there was always still such a large part of me that hated him. Ray looked as if I had just pulled his pants around his ankles. I wanted him to pay. I wanted him to know the pain of my humiliation. There I was- thinking Ray Snyder was good and truthful. Instead, he was just as bad as Ian and Gabe said he was. "I hate you." I muttered spitefully. CJ pulled my arm and we walked away.

I half expected him to chase after me, or ask to have another word. But he didn't. He let CJ take me to our next class without a fight.

I had hoped he wouldn't sit behind me. But being Ray, he had to. "Class, I want you to brainstorm today on ideas for our Color of Tower project. I will give you thirty minutes to write at least one idea and hand it in to me. Remember, this project requires a one page essay from each of you, plus the collaboration poster you all are to do together. Your idea can be for your essay or the drawing. Your time starts now." Her wide smile never failed as she went to her desk and began doodling. Sometimes I wondered if Art was like any other teacher on campus. "Suki." Ray hissed from behind me.

"Leave me alone." Was my monotonous reply. He did.

**Thursday**-

I awoke fresh faced and ready to conquer the world. Or at least, that's what I told myself.

**Friday- **

This was it. This was the big day. I was finally going to act normal, to be a good friend to Ian and Gabe again, I was going to study with CJ again, we were going to share secrets like old times. Things were going to go back to normal- I was to make sure of that.

I grabbed breakfast and ate with CJ, who brought Cal. That meant Ian and Gabe were off on an excursion, excused by Art. _Again_. CJ only ever brought Cal around when she was in the clear of Ian. I sometimes wondered if she harbored true feelings for Cal Rice, or if he were just her patsy. As Cal droned on about the oncoming Buffer game, I yawned rudely and stared down at my plate. Great.

There went my plans for ultimate success. I was so sure I could just fix everything that morning. I thought it all was in my hands, and that I could manipulate the orbit of fate. As if I was hanging above Tower Prep, with everyone and every event spun in a large ceramic bowl and only I owned the ladle that could stir fate. Just like a dream, it went away as soon as I awoke. Great.

I went to the library after my last class and journeyed through the collection. Everything was censored here. There were no good Mary Higgins Clark and even fewer Stephen King. There were mostly medical and scientific encyclopedias, and a rare set of sequels from modern literature. I detested that this library lacked _Wuthering Heights. _How awfully cliché. I moved onto a table and got to work on my English assignment, a quick yet important essay about the critique of Edgar Allan Poe. I didn't have much to say about him, though. I wasn't trapped in a horror story like his victims always are. I wasn't pathologically insane, nor was I socially interrupted. I was a too-smart-for-her-own-good tech gal with a handful of friends that were on and off. Someone should write a book about someone like me. Then when I critiqued their work, I would know the exact thing to say.

I was dozing off, tired from my own rant. "Sometimes you must join the opposite team to know the opposite team." I snapped from my daydream and looked around crazily. There Whisper was again! It couldn't have been my dream. My dream included a giant piece of toast dancing to an old theme song. Hand over heart and eyes wide open, I gasped at my unreal hearing. Tower Prep was something different. Tower Prep was something odd.

The more questions the four of us asked, the more problems we found ourselves in. when would we learn? Who were we to go against a dead man's words, or a very alive and very mean Headmaster's words? Just there! I was asking more question, which only led to more questions. I felt as if I was on a tilt-a-whirl and had just previously consumed two jumbo corndogs. I was ready to vomit all of the contents of my stomach, until a soothing hand rested on my shoulders. My fearful eyes traveled up the pale arm and met with the clashing brown ones. One's that belonged to Ray Snyder.

I wasn't one for foul language, but _shit_.

**A/N: Ohhhhhhh! Shy, bubbly tech girl has a potty mouth. Honestly, I'm considering turning this to rated "M". Some past content has been bordering mature and just as a warning- future content is even bolder. Review, Subscribe, Favorite, etc.**


	7. Whisper's Wise Words

"…so, that sounds good?" Ray's voice called out to me as he collected his things for his next class. I snapped out of my thought and plastered on the smile, the one that he loved so much, and nodded with feigned enthusiasm. He bent down and kissed my lips chastely. "See you around five?" He helped me with my coat, a chore he loved most, and kissed my nose when I nodded, at least knowing when he would take me wherever it is I agreed to go. "You are wonderful, my _blume_." His impeccable German, which sounded to foreign coming from his mouth yet so right coming from his roots, made my cheeks flush. I didn't really know what that word was in English, but I hoped it wasn't one of the gag pet names. Ray departed to his Work Study and I went to my Math class, where Gabe was outside waiting by the door. When I said my polite hello and kept walking, he followed.

"You know, you don't really seem like you hate being with Ray. Maybe you like it?" Gabe sneered, almost losing his nose under his glasses. "We are a team, Suki, remember that. This thing- that thing with Ray Snider needs to be controlled. All the bad luck we would need would be for you to lose your mind with some guy. Always keep our plans first priority, Suki." He stormed off without another word.

Well, that was nice. Ian was no smoother to talk to. He often eyed me with uncertainty. After meeting in the library with Ray, I understood something I never did before. We were liars. All of us. Everyone at Tower was a liar- a god awful lying machine, if that was enough justification. Then Whisper's words came to me… "Sometimes you must join the opposite team to know the opposite team." The light bulb above my head buzzed loudly, so loudly that I thought to cover my ears_. I listened politely to all of his excuses and every explanation. I pretended to care when he apologized. I did everything I was supposed to. So when he asked to see me again, I promptly lifted my hand and swiveled my head. "And that information you promised?"_

_He had an almost sour look on his face. His eyes darted around the room before he took a seat next to me. "One of your little friends works right under Headmaster. It would be unscrupulous of me to tell you who exactly. And it's not my style to tear apart a friendship. I much rather enjoy allowing themselves do it all on their own. Remember what I told you about friends?" I zoned out the rest of what he said. I could only remember how betrayed I felt at the moment. I had an aching feeling that all of our Intel was most definitely being intercepted. But who? Ian was so driven…Gabe was too scared to look at Headmaster, less actually speak to him…CJ seemed way too into Cal too see straight; none of that actually ruled them out of suspicion, though. _

"_You're my only friend." I watched the impact my words had on him. His almond eyes became slits then shifted to a softer texture. I gasped silently when he pulled me into a hug. _

"_You mean so much more to me, Suki." He nestled his face into the crook of my neck. I could feel the grin plastered on his face. From then on, I pretended to be close as pie to him. I let the gang know of my situation, but I lied and said I was doing it to keep tabs on the Rooks activity. I could care less about the Rooks, if they only cared to know me better and realize it._

**A/N: So just a little teaser! Who doesn't love a sly Suki? But I think we all know she may be getting in WAY over her head. Review if you want to, Subscribe if you feel the vibe, Put this on your alerts if you're wearing a shirt!**

**Just figured I'd switch up the begging process. Thanks so much to everyone that is still reading this!**


	8. Liars and Thieves

When Ray was speaking and I zoned him out, I didn't think he was talking about coming over to my dorm for 'study time'. Because if I had heard those two words together, I would have known his agenda.

"Semi-malleable, aqua color in nature, refused to burn under three hundred degrees Celsius…" I read aloud the notes for Chemistry, refusing to give into Ray's wandering mouth as it traveled along the spine of my back through my thin tank top to the crook of my neck. "Ray." I half sighed, half whined. He began to place wet, sloppy kisses. I curled one hand into a fist and the other clutched the manila colored paper for its life. "Stop." I groaned and shifted, hoping he would fall off of the bed.

No luck. He easily morphed on my bed, sliding his body directly behind mine. I rolled my eyes when he pulled my back to his chest, his legs on either side of me. Occasionally Ray felt like being a loving guy, and most times he was fine with sitting far from me, studying twice as hard as I was pretending to. His teeth grazed the tip of my spine, and he slipped his hand under my tank top, rubbing tiny circles in the small of my back. "I'm trying to concentrate." I muttered to the kiss-aholic behind me. Who knew he could be such an affectionate person? I always assumed he'd be the hardcore, stressed guy he looked to be. He growled back at me and bit down on my shoulder. I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip, hating that that action both hurt and pleasured me. Ray Snyder was a dynamic person; it hurt just being around him sometimes. He had that golden boy, bad boy sashay about him. "Stop already." I slapped his new wandering hand away, but it only lingered under my top, resting above my bellybutton.

"Don't ever," He grasped my hair and pulled it so that I had no choice but to stare right up at him, "think you're playing with my emotions. Suki, I will hurt you-"

I pressed my lips to his in the midst of my fear. This what he wanted- wanting, willing Suki, right? I didn't know what he was mad at, exactly. Was it that he had figured out my alter agenda- did he see through my facade? Were my plans ruined? Or was he angry that I was especially distant that day, after he "caught" me and Gabe giggling over a mass collection of June bugs marked _Highly Hazardous_? Verbally, I didn't know what to apologize for. So I surmised that a kiss- the single action he had been begging for would suffice. He deepened the lip lock, but drew away, holding his mouth away as if it were having the hardest time fighting temptation, as if it had a mind of it own. "Suki." He growled my name out. His demand was like a siren, bleeding red blood from every stitch of its speaker. "Suki." And the second time he said it, his teeth let go of his upper lip, released to taunt me with its red fullness. There was a different warning to that one- this warning was the oozing of fire that shot into my belly and through my veins, catching every cell on fire and worse, imposing me to blush.

With the lack of my apology or explanation, the vein that traveled from his temple to his neck pulsed erratically. I gulped back a retreat, vowing to stay and fight it out. This was my mission- my help to our plan of escape. Even though Ray promised me that his resources were infallible and the intel absolutely true, I still could not believe all of it. The muscle in his strong jaw worked, twitching; his breath was labored, and then I feared for my life the most. "I love you." I blurted. The words took him aback, his perfect face morphing into a look of shock. The awe-stricken facial expression was far easier to handle than his angry way. I flung myself to him and placed little butterfly kisses all across his face. I needed him to stay focused- I needed him to stay with me long enough for me to get that information from the Rooks.

No one knew the screwy system of Tower Prep better than those damn Rooks. It helped lots that he would give me protection along with the information package. I could have clapped with glee when his thick arms encircled my waist and brought me to him. I did sigh in relief and stop by obnoxious manifestation of his face. "You love me." He repeated it out loud; like if he said it back to me I was suppose to change my mind. I felt most guilty then, lying to a man I didn't love, but did care about. I closed my eyes, buried my head in his shoulder and nodded. Why was I continuing with the charade?

Why couldn't these _feelings_ become real already? I liked him, a lot. I wanted to feel in love, so my job would be so much easier. I could pull in, grab the information I needed, and pull out- way out of Tower, away from Ray and all of his lies. He was a liar, as bad as me, and we both knew that. The hard part was that we never knew what we were and weren't lying to each other about. This time, he was a tricked like a right fool. "I love you. I love you. I love you." I looked up at him and repeated it over and over, hoping that the sixth time would make it real.

Before I could begin to know every syllable of that phrase, his plump lips crashed unto mine in perfect harmony. "You're real, this is real." He murmured as he held me under him, his hands happily clasping behind my head. "You love me." His sappy words made me want to turn away and cry, scream at him to leave me alone. It made me want to run between my mother's legs and dash under a table, because I heard one of her friends speak about my uncle's missing leg and couldn't yell at them for being rude. It made me want to throw that piece of pottery at Shinji's head for laughing at my lazy eye, before the surgery. Ray made me so guilty, so angry at myself. Ray smiled, assuming my wet eyes were for him and not the inner battle I was fighting with my conscience.

I loved his kisses, I loved his hands, I loved his voice, I loved the way he looked at me, I loved the way he held me, I loved the smell of his skin on the afternoons that he lay next to me under a big tree…so why couldn't I love _him_?


	9. Camp Le Frain

Ray POV-

Never underestimate the power of one's love, especially not mine. That's what Kane did, and he's sorrily paying for it in the hospital wing. Suki meant everything to me, and there wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for her. I brought her to this maze of cabins, a retreat Tower offered. I suppose it gave our teachers and coaches time to go to their respectable homes; was this a Christmas break, Easter break, president's memorial? On this island (as far as the Rooks knew), you could never know the actual weather or happenings of your hometown. Seasons came and went at Tower, and the only changes in nature were slight like a pick up of wind or some rain. But here, it was what seemed like summer. Every facility was air-conditioned, but as soon as you stepped out, the blazing rays of Janurary rolled onto us. These cabins weren't cheap, but my parents paid for mine every year. Sometimes I wondered how they were, what they thought of me- if they were proud or sad or elated that I was here. My past generations had all been gifted; I was merely carrying on my tradition here. Every student had an account at Tower, fueled by your Work Study or your family's good graces. Mine was always full, and it seemed Archer's was plentiful this season. He rented a cabin close to mine- right across, exactly.

That sent goose bumps along my arms, which were around Suki's waist as she stared at the forest through the back door. "If Tower Prep were really like this, I might not have to work so hard to escape." She teased in a whisper.

"No thoughts of breaking free right now. We're on a holiday." I reminded her firmly, planting a stern kiss in the crook of, which emitted a few giggles from her glossed lips. "Did you find where you're sleeping?" I questioned her, feigning innocence. She turned in my arms and faced me.

The cute pout of her lips made my face aglow with life. "So, I'm on the couch?" Her eyebrows knitted innocently. I shook my head. "Outside? Ray, we don't even have a tent! If you didn't have room, you should have told so I could have asked Ian-" Her beautiful eyes squinted at me.

I silenced her and jerked my head in the direction of the garage. "Yes, we do. There's a tent in the stall area." I planted another sweet kiss. "But you won't be needing it. You're staying in the Blue room." You could hear the coils and engine wheels working in the back of her mind.

"That's your room." She pointed out.

"Our room." I corrected her. "We'll be sharing it." The look that adorned her small, angular face was priceless, yet it only upset me. Her cute mouth began to work in a drawn-out objection, but I stopped her before she could. "You said you loved me. I can't have my lovely girlfriend sleeping on a sofa, or in Archer-the-golden-boy's filthy cabin." I spat. Her brown eyes danced around my face.

"You're not serious, Ray? I love you, but I don't want to go that far with you-" her statement was stretched out, but I had to believe her. I knew her well, or well enough. Every little affection meant a lot to her, and so did her dignity. I didn't have virgins, and I wanted to keep it that way. I wanted Suki, and I wanted her untouched by boys- but I didn't want to damper that purity. Perhaps she would want to keep that aspect forever?

But my body craved hers so bad. "Suki, calm down." I held her face in my hands and kissed her nose softly. I had girlfriends before and enjoyed kissing (and a lot more), but Suki's mouth and skin were so addictive- I was completely hooked. "Sharing a cabinroom doesn't exactly mean sex. Sure, it'd be nice." I chuckled as she jokingly slapped my chest. "I respect you too much. And I don't usually respect girls." I teased her again. "Your things are in the closet. Get dressed for the lake, Suki. I want to go down and show everyone you are sleeping my cabin this summer." I kissed the lobe of her right ear; the dazed look she wore as she made a bee-line for our room made me proud of my handiwork. It was too easy to submit women to my will, and before now it was quite funny- even a game of my own. But Suki went against my will more than she followed it.

As long as was with me, I couldn't care less. As for her escaping out of Tower…well, that was going to have to be taken care of precariously. I wanted to escape this uniform shit as bad as she did, but not before I relieved the Rook's expectations. The Rooks did believe in a revolt against Tower's antics, but we had other plans after we left. Although I didn't completely agree with Sabe Horne (my president) about his plot to overtake the school as soon as we learned just how to escape. The boys came in the cabin door, laughing about something crude Don said. "Hey, Ray." The greeted me in unison. Soon, they would be bowing their noses down to the ground, addressing me as "the Most Exulted One". Ah, yes. That would be fabulous. "Going down to the lake? Archer and his little friends are there. That leggy girl looks too good today, Ray." Zach licked his lips and rubbed his hands together in high anticipation.

"C'mon, like she would waste her prude breath on you? That's enough- wouldn't want to make a mess of yourself." I had the power to say whatever the hell I wanted to Zach, the boy who could spit controlled acid, or Don, whom could do nearly impossible acrobatic stunts (head locking him was difficult). To the gingerkid's shoulder was Embry, whose twin shared the talent of night vision. Last, but not least of all, was Henry, the tall blonde-haired boy who released lethal hallucinogens when he reached a pinnacle of fear. It was dangerous being around him sometimes; though, he wasn't scared so easy. I suppose you had to merely pick up a talent of avoidance early on with a power like that?

"That's sweet Suki's friend, isn't it?" Henry replied snidely, one foot crossed in front of the other as he supported his puny body against the doorway. They knew not to think of Suki or any of her gal friends in such a way- because when you thought about a girl, and she was close with Suki, you were thinking along the lines about Suki, too! Was I the only one who understood that notion?

I clenched my hands into fists, but practiced the salvation-patience Suki taught me. _Breathe, Ray. Just breathe_. I could hear her voice calm me, and her sweet mouth plant a soft kiss on my shoulder, or nose, or forehead. Something innocent- an innocently affectionate gesture. My hands went back to their normal state, as if my love's sweet fingers had actually pried apart my own stubborn ones. "It's Sato to you, Henry." I rested my sneer on him. "Keep your fucking space from her and CJ." I warned, my voice dropping a few notches. Had it not been for Suki's presence in my cabin and life, I would have thrown him across the room and slammed my fists as hard as they would hit against his pretty-boy carcass. But Suki was there, and I couldn't involve myself in another close call; beating the shit out of Kane was something I never thought I'd do. He was as strong as I was, a year older, and I knew not to mess with guys bigger than me.

Kane associated my _inability_ to punish the freshman (who happened to be a Rook pledge) with the existance of Suki and my relationship. That was something you didn't do; Suki would be of no cause of mayhem- the halo above the crown of her head ensured that. So much was true- I was completely enthralled by her, and her presence often degraded me to that less than a man. But if owning an inadequate ego meant keeping her so very near, I would take that extreme, I would welcome that extreme. Henry's tight expression pissed me off. He lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Sato," he put emphasis on her surname, "is all yours. That CJ broad is already marked by Cal, and I'm on the yellow team with him. She may as well be tampered goods." He made a show of laughing, Don and Zach emitting froced chuckles.

"It's none of your business!" Suki's melodic voice in. Hold on, how much did she hear? I was hoping to use this Cal Rice and CJ business to my advantage later. "You're really pathetic, you know that?" She got in Henry's face and used all of her evil-girl looks on him. She a frightening sight to behold when she confronted people- it seemed she had a nack for targeting my friends. Or maybe they were just really big asshole who deserved being slapped across the face by an angry, fuming asian girl? "It's not Ceej's fault you can't get a girl to look at you, let alone be with you!" That was something; lots of girls were attracted to Henry, either becausee of his short-term charm or his playful hair, but Suki was completely irrant about him. His hand cautiously went to touch her arm, but she flicked it away irritadely. "Don't touch me! You're filthy!" And that's when she did it. Amongst her angry stance and busy jumper that covered some of her bathing suit, she turned her head and glanced at me expectantly. It made my heart swell to know that she regarded me as her boyfriend- as a man whom she wanted help from. Was it my heart or ego that swelled larger as Suki gave me that i-don't-want-to-handle-this-with -out-you look? I wasn't so sure.

So I stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "That's enough, Henry. Cool off in the shower. We'll down by the lake if you guys wanna join." I steered her out of the wooden house before she had any ideas about attackeing Henry. They were my Rooks, Suki was my girl- it was a challenge to maintian both of them under the same roof. She clutched onto me as we made our walk towards an off-path spot, instead of going to the popular Le Frain shoreline with the party boys; that's where Embry and Adam (the Cullist twins) loved to be. They were the life of that scene, and I wouldn't lie and say it wasn't fun. But I wanted to have Suki to myself for a few moments.

When we made it to the quiet spot, my blume threw out a small blanket she brought in her carry-on and bit her lip. "I forget how massive you are." She blushed, her face reddening adoringly. I hooked my forefinger under her chin and gently brought her face level to mine. "You did all of this," she gestured wildly around her to the tall redwood trees and the crystal blue lake, "for me, and I can't even bring a blanket big enough for you." She pouted cutely. I shook my head and tipped my sunglasses on, transfering a kiss to her lips.

She soon gave up trying to apologize and just laid back on her towel. "It's so peceful." Suki spoke quietly, her large feminine glasses in place. "My parents took me to a lake once when I was younger, but that was it. The Sato family probably thinks they're too high above ervyone else to spend leisure time at a public place. But my Uncle Khai always visited them...he used to tell me that the atmosphere was just contagious; my Uncle Khai lost his leg in a car accident when he was twenty, and my grandmother..." As she spoke, my eyes could only follow her mouth and the beautiful curve it formed into when she talked about something she enjoyed. I smiled at her. She could have been talking about Physics, and I'd be her her biggest fan, just loving to have her attention and conversation. "You're beautiful." Her soft pout made my eyes flicker from the low-cute top she wore, which tried to hide awy her black glittery suit beneathe.

"No, my Suki, you are beautiful." I turned on my side and faced her fully. "The most beautiful creature I have ever had the pleasure to aqqauint myself with." I grasped her hand and held it between my much larger ones. She shook her head, causing bangs to fly everywhere. Suki dropped my hand and inched close enough for me to count the specks in her eyes. I brought her tiny frame even closer so that we lay practically atop each other, her chest and stomach laying on mine.

She stared at me for a long moment. Her cool fingers, her dainty nails painted a light hue of nude, ran a trail across my face. "High cheekbones, chiseled jawline, strong, jutted chin, completely delicetable lips." She giggled as my tongue poked out to lap the tip of her index finger as it lingered on my lower lip. "That's beautiful."

"Don't forget my breath-taking eyes." I fluttered my eyelashes teasingly when she ripped away my Raybans (yes, even Tower kids like those) off. Her madness of giggles was enough to put a cheeky grin on my face.

Yes, Ray, keep making her laugh. You need to hear that sound again. "How could I forget, my sweet Ray?" She kissed my eyelids shut. I was surprised at her open display of affection. Perhaps these woods and the water gave off strong pheremones not even she could ignore? I chuckled at the possibilty. Her tiny fingers attempted to grip my wrist, and she brought it up in a twist for her inspection. After a few seconds of oggling, she placed a light kiss in the center of my palm. "For long life." She promised and brought it to her cheek. Both of our eyes shut at the contact. The sunlight caught her face and hair, making the angel on top of me glow. With her free hand, she plucked my other hand tha had been resting on my chest. She intwined our fingers, my much larger ones holding us in place.

"Fits like a glove." I whispered, making everything that much more intense. She nodded with a grin, happy at my analysis. This girl often caused my mind to completely shut off sometimes, making rational thoughts too hard to form. There was something dangerous that flashed across her features, like hesitation, but I pushed it aside and out of my memory.

Suki, its much too late to have hesitation now.


	10. Utterly Wonderful

**A/N: Another update! I'm loving the summer, truly! This is an important step in Suki and Ray's relationship. I hope you all like, i have certaintly made you guys wait long enough!**

**Warning: Rated M for a reason.**

* * *

_**Suki POV-**_

I couldn't help it, truly. He was just so mesmirizing, and I was swept off of my feet. It was the perfect scenario, the ideal story to tell your granddaughter when she was young and confused and going through the hormonal change. Ray was something else, entirely. I agreed to share his bed, and to go to lake alone with him, and share dinner with him, of which he cooked by himself. That in no way would help me break out of Tower. A part of me felt that it wasn't the goal for Ray anymore to breakout- if that had _ever_ been a goal of his anyway. I awoke the morning after arriving to the destination cabin with soft lips gently nibbling at my neck. At first it was uncomfortable, but then it became so sensual that I found myself moaning out loud, _loudly_. I knew the culprit's lips (not just because we had made out so much that i recognize his plump lips from a crowd of men's lips) but because the intoxicating scent of his unique cologne filled my lungs with a sweet aftertaste. "Hmm, Ray." I angled my neck for more convient access and he hungrily complied. My eyes slowly fluttered open as he slid his hands under shirt, his humble fingertips never straying further than my midriff. Once I came to, I noticed his body hovering above mine- and a very impatient tent in his trousers. When he saw my line of vision he muttered a grim apology and released my neck from his possession and moved off of me.

Ray was _so_ patient with me. I wondered sometimes how he didn't just explode right before my very eyes. He sat at the edge of the bed, running a hand through his brown locks angrily. He was probably utterly sexually frustrated,and I did nothing to help by moaning his name, along with her indistuingishable sounds. I bit my lip, considering what to do. I definetly wasn't ready for _that_, but who said we couldn't do other things to sate our thirst? I peered down at my nether area; I was soaking wet for him. I needed this release as urgently as he did. Like the day before at the lake...I was burning with desire and thanked his self-preservation that he kept the both of us under control. I had to go for it. Now or never, Suki. "Ray." I murmured his name, causing him to swiftly turn round and face me, his member better hidden.

"I apologize profusely, Suki. I never meant for this... I should have had more self-control! You were just so beautiful laying beside me, I had to just touch your face-" And I stopped him there, getting more turned on by every word. I kissed his lips softly, begging for him to stay silent when I finally pulled away.

"Please, just hear me out. We are both..." I turned tomatoe red as i searched for the right word, "frustrated with our bodies. And I don't want to go _there_ yet. But we can..." I traced my finger nervously along a faded print on the duvet we slept with, "do _other_ things." I concluded meekly, not looking up at his face. What if he thought that was a joke? Prude Suki, all hot and bothered, but not willing to go for it. Yes, a joke, indeed.

"Are you certain you wish to do this? The last thing I want you to feel is pressured." He searched my eyes to look for certainty. I pounced on him suddenly and pulled him back ontop of me, where he belonged. I giggled at such a thought and fought to work his polo over his chest. When the bare skin came to life under my fingertips, I shivered with excitement. I loved touching Ray. And judging by the enlarged bulge inside of his pants, he also enjoyed touching me. He discarded my shirt quickly and pressed our bodies together. My pajama shorts and his flannel bottoms met with such friction that I assumed i would surely die if bare skin touched. I explored his naked chest inch by inch, and his hands never left my breasts. Ray never pushed boundries with me, and I loved that.

I brought his hands around my back and prompted him to release my bra from their restraints. He hungrily dove for my mmouth, probably trying to distract me from feeling the awkwardness of a man seeing my chest for the first time. It worked, as I was so caught up in the feel of his tongue that only my femal part felt his hands working at my nipples, making them stand erect. My lower half pulsated and I brought Ray flat against me with a gasp, my arms crossed over his back. I needed his body just like that. We moved against each other for a few moments before I looked at him oddly. "Can I take your pants off?" The dark mist in his black eyes blackened further as he guided my hands to the hem of his pants. I slowly slid them down and relished in the muscles of his thighs and calves. His whole body was impressive, the perfect vision of a man. And he was all mine, if not forever, just for this moment. I was certainly his.

So when he hooked a finger in my nighttime shorts, I could only melt like putty in his hands and nod my consent. I arched my body against his to rid myself of the extra fabric and came into contact with his pulsating member. Ah. I could only sigh. That was heaven, really. A woman's heaven, in the least. He began moving against my body, grinding to say the least. I found a rythm I liked and ground my hips against his. "Ray." I panted, running my hands through his brown locks as his body came slamming onto mine. "More." I pleaded. I felt a pillow slide underneathe me, behind my back.

"It might be uncomfortable for a little bit." He warned and brought one of my knees to his shoulder and thrust more. I nearly screamed in pleasure. That was a new sensation all together. I met his dry thrusts with more confidence, and more eagerness to get that burning sensation between my legs back. He chuckled as he understood I needed even more. He stood off of the bed and pulled my body roughly the edge, my feet touching the ground but my chest laid against the bed. I relished in the fact that I craved for him to manuever me roughly. It created a rippling sensation all though my fucking body! I blushed at the swearword I used. "Relax, and I'll show a wonderful way to relieve arousal." I was surely going to... explode with just his voice, no ministrations neccessary. "I'm going to put my hand here." And as he cupped my flower, a gasp of cold air entered my body. His erection pressed against my bum, my pink cotton panties and his grey boxer briefs the only clothing left bewteen us. "I'm going to grind against you. Put your hand on mine, and create a pace that suites you." He whispered in my ear, his hot breath causing my breaths to come out in short breaths. He grinded against me as promised and pressed his chest harshly ontop of back. I welcomed the new weight.

My hand sought his, right atop my entrance. I pulled it against my pulsating core, over and over, until he understood that I wanted him to roughly grasp and rub against me. His grinding sped up and I sought a new bout of bravery by guiding a finger into the side my panties and swirling it around between my folds. Ray impatiently removed my hand and worked to his own accord, pushing further and deeper until I felt a spew of liquid release from my nethers. But he kept going, helping me ride out my high. I needed to feel the burning again...I needed to be hot and bothered all over again. "Ray...can we try something?" I asked shyly. I felt him halt behind me.

"Of course. What ever makes you comfortable." I kissed my neckline and waited for me to go on.

"Well, since its hard for you...to you know! And since there's no skin-to-sin for you, I thought maybe...' My cheeks were flaming as I turned around. "You could take your bottoms off and grind, and I will keep mine on." I offered lamely.

He shook his head. "No, Suki, that's too risky. What if I-"

"I trust you." I kissed his lips and pulled him onto bed. With or without his consent, I couldn't remember, I pulled off his undies and allowed his little one spring to life. I adjusted myself and placed him right ontop of me. He began at a nice speed and got quicker, than quicker, than jolts of touching-then-going. I exploded for the second time in half an hour, but he held on. I had heard of bizarre cases where seamen got onto a girl's intimates without penetrational intercourse ever happening, and she befell pregnant. So had Ray; it had been a topic of coversation just a few weeks ago, when we weren't thinking of sex with each other.

I trailed away from my ecstasy and fought to keep my eyes open. With a soft kiss on my cheek, he lifted himself off of me, his clutch on the pillows around still imprinted. That could have been my skin he left marks on! I felt a few bruises begining along my hips and thighs, but nothing that would be seen to anyone else. He turned away from me and clutched the pillar of the headboard and looked at the wall,most likely willing his erection to die down enough to lie down comfortably. An idea sprung to my head and I lazily sat up and wound myself behind him, my arms wrapped safely around his chest. He had slipped on his boxers quickly before he moved around, preventing any mistake from happening. I grapsed his member and reached up to speak in his ear. "Put your hand on mine and create a pace that suites you." I mimicked him from earlier, emmitting a soft hiss from his lips. He did as I said and I could only take one thing from that experience.

It felt utterly wonderful to make another person feel utterly wonderful.

We slept for the rest of the day, and when a knock came to the door at twelve noon, Ray sent it away with a few swift words in German. I really felt like his girl, laying against his chest and tucked into a warm blanket. The day proved to be chilly, and no time for a lake excursion of any sort. So when he got hungry sometime in the late evening, after another round of body-loving, I opted to take a shower while he prepared the food. I would pay him back later.

"Suki, I love you." He whispered and kissed the tender knuckles of the hand that was enveloped by his. I giggled at the soft tickling sensation. I felt fresh after my shower, and when he stepped out from the fog in just his towel, my southern parts began working all over again.

I tucked in a piece of a french roll and smiled at him. I leaned over the bed (our makeshift eating table) and kissed his lips firmly. "Ray." I sighed. I suppose I loved him enough to not lie to him about loving him. Did that make any sense at all? I opened my eyes, and there was an expectant look on his angular face. I smiled, trying desperately to hide my inhibitions. Why stop lying now?


	11. Take A Bow

"**Day light can mean the difference **

**Between **_**lover**_** and **_**monster**_**." – Ann Rice**

"Repeat performance?" Ray's warm breath tickled my face as we slept longingly on his big bed, just listening to the sounds of the night around us. We seemed to have been in bed for awhile, but I didn't know the exact time. Again and again, he would want to discover parts of my body (the parts I would allow him to see), and nothing could sate his thirst. I shook my head and buried my back deeper into his chest- he was so massive and warm all of the time. "Has my sweet Suki tired?" He kissed my hair sweetly and wrapped his arms back round my body, where he obviously had a certain liking to put them. I nodded like a child being babied. He made me feel cocooned and sweetened, and it was none on my part. I sort of thought he liked me being… rough and raw with him.

"So tired." I yawned, even if we had not done much. But sleep was just too inviting, and I was pulled under its cloak of subconscious. What felt like minutes later, I awoke with a start. I felt something near my face, and immediately jumped into a sitting position on the bed. But there was nothing, lest a strong breeze coming in through the window Ray must have opened. I looked around; no Ray? My eyes searched frantically around in the darkness, which seemed to happen within the short span of time of me dozing off_. I must have slept longer than I thought_! "Ray?" I called into the night. Cautiously, I stepped off the bed and halted when a strong breeze blew against me. I shivered and brought my hands up to my arms, trying to create some new heat. I looked down, noticing my bare stomach and everything on my chest that my floral printed bra didn't cover. Slipping on the nearest shirt I found, I became engulfed in Ray's dark polo shirt, the hem ending right above the end of my sleeping shorts. Why was there such a height difference? "Babe?" I tried again, hoping to have him pop out of the shadows like he had a habit of doing. No answer. Shit, I swore below my breath. Did he seriously leave me alone with a cabin full of sneaky boys?

Oh, how I hated Zach and Don, and even more so when they were around Ray. They were cocky jerks that took women for granted, and I hated the fact that I had to share a cabin with them. But they were Ray's boys, and I wasn't going to be a party pooper and ask Ray to throw them out. I, after all, was the new one in Ray Snyder's life. I heard a loud banging on the door, and froze. This was not a situation I ever wanted to be in. As fast as my little feet took me, I flew to Zack's room. With incessant knocking as warning, I finally threw open the door. I switched on the light and walked in. No one.

I shut the door and went to Don's on the end of the second hall, far from my own room. I never went here, not even on the small tour Ray gave me. I knocked a few times before stepping in. No noise, no one in sight. Where the hell were these guys? The banging grew louder and I whimpered, covering my mouth. Was this some cruel practical joke, or something? My PDA was pushed against my ear as I shut the bedroom door and scuttled to the kitchen, turning on all the lights in my wake. Ian had told me before that it was best to make sure lights were on outside, and none were on inside. He said the darkness of your residence and the lights of your surroundings were beneficial to you, because you could see the intruder far better than he could see you.

But Ian wasn't afraid of the dark. I was. A loud _thud_ resounded on the back porch, and I prayed it was a picnic chair or table falling. Or some wild animal, not a menacing human. I prayed that my boyfriend would answer, wherever he was. I only kept getting his answering machine and not his calming voice like I wanted. I wasn't helpless; I was a strong girl who refused to be scared witless by a boogey man or two. I was surrounded by plenty of weapons- albeit they were cleaning and cooking utensils. That didn't matter, though. I suddenly remembered the two boys who were staying in the basement cots downstairs. It took me less than a minute to fly down the stairs and whip open their door.

"Embry? Adam? Goddamn it! Cullist?" I screamed, hoping one of the twins would be able to hear me. All of these boys were testosterone-filled and always ready for danger. Where were they when I needed them? They couldn't all have been at parties; Whisper monitored Camp Le Frain, and we had a curfew of eleven o clock. Adam and Embry were so different; Adam was quiet and utterly cute while Embry was a talking machine and over-rated on the looks department. Em Cullist was a lot of fun, I had to admit. But Adam Cullist was smart, always level-headed. The only things they really had in common was their people-charm and their night vision. Oh, how I would love that right now!

I dialed Ian's number, but halfway through the second ring, my machine died. Shit, shit, shit! How could technology just abandon me like that? I climbed up the stairs quietly, one at a time- I was trying to make zero sound possible. As I traveled to my own room again, I noticed all of the lights still on. No one was home, that was for sure! Just me, alone. _Ah_, that was frightening.

I didn't quite remember when or how I fell asleep, but I only remembered pulling the covers up over my head and snuggling into the heavy mattress. I thought of a better place, and took myself there.

**Daylight**-

I moved my spoon around the bowl of cereal beneath me; the lunch hall was a few cabins down, but I didn't feel like going. Hot food wouldn't set well, anyway. Ray's eyes pierced a whole in my face, but i refused to raise my eyes to his eyes. He was an ass for leaving in the middle of the night and avoiding my questioning when he got caught. Where was he? I didn't feel safe without him around, and since he insisted that i not stay with Ian, he needed to be there. "What's the deal, Suki?" Ray bit angrily into his bagel.

I shrugged, still not budging from my standoff attitude. I scoffed loudly when he reached over the table and took my chin in his hand forcefully. "Leave me alone, Ray." I spat and wrenched myself from his grip.

"Why are you acting like this? Just last night you were happy, and we were getting it." His face twisted in a look of frustration. I was too embarrassed about how I reacted alone without him the night before, and he would get a lick!

"Getting it? You are getting nothing! I will never have sex with you, because you are a lying piece of scum beneath my shoe." I stomped my foot in a gesture and levelly glared at him. "You lie about everything!" I screamed, even if I was no better. At least I was cautious enough not to get caught in my lies! I spared him that much, and I at least deserved the same.

"I've never lied to you about anything!" The vein in his throat was ready to pop out of his skin as he sensuously yelled at me, standing to tower like the large man he was.

"Where were you last night?" I kept my tone in check as I spoke, as to not let him think i was making any assumptions. "And Zach and Don? And the Cullist guys?" I knew those two boys tended not to hang out with the same crowds. I took a step around the table, reaching him in a very close manner. "Are you ready to lie, now?" My breaths were steady and slow, because it would do none if i flew off the handle. I needed to make sure he didn't hate me or tire of my yelling, because eventually he was my key. He was my way out of here, through his Rook ties. I suddenly snapped out of my rant and stared up at him. I was in no position to start flailing hands and throwing words.

Everything I made him believe we were was a lie. A blatant lie. But here I was, taking the "relationship" for more than it was. Jeez, could I be any more fuddled up? Here I was, taking for granted a man's heart just for a stupid mission? I even lied and said I loved him! A woman's duty to keep herself above those who tried to drag her down often kept her from loving anyone, as my mother once told me. Was I wrong in wanting to get out of here so bad? Was it wrong of me to use an advantage, for all it was worth? He was surely using me, too!

I had to tell him the truth. I had to tell him I didn't really love him, but that I truly cared for him. Ray had to be told that I wanted nothing more than to turn the Rooks over to Tower Prep's council. He had to know that deep down, I hated him for being mean to Ian, for being a person who actually loved Tower, and for letting me use him. But I was a coward, and a web of deception had already spun a fine wool coat over his eyes. I couldn't take that back now. It was far too late.

I knew he would never tell me where he was or his friends either. And I didn't want to hear the excuse- i was a liar enough for the both of us. So i leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him, allowing my body to encompass by his bulk. "I will never lie to my sweet Suki, you are my only love." He murmured in my hair. I nodded, only wishing I could say the same.

I didn't, because i was tired of saying what he wanted to hear. I needed to use the love card sparingly.


	12. Go About Your Business

**A/n: Is anybody still reading this? Reviews please**!

**I dearly hope they bring Tower Prep back onto Cartoon Network. It was a favorite of mine!**

Ian picked me up around mid-morning, completely ignoring Ray as he helped me grab a beach towel and a chair. Ray agreed to let me go and not spend the day with me like he originally planned that Tuesday, making me happy. At least he wasn't as selfish as he once was! I understood why CJ and Gabe didn't come to pick me up; both of them had a red vendetta for my boyfriend lately, and often couldn't control themselves. Ian seemed to be the calm these days.

"What are you doing, Suki?" Ian had a sulky sort of voice, as if I were the monster at Tower. I shook my head, still looking out of the window of the rental buggy my friend bought. "We can all see what's going on." He held the steering wheel with a tighter grip. "I think we've been more than fair with you; you obviously have something for Ray. Don't deny it." I was glaring daggers out of the window, not sparing Ian a look. So what? I liked him, even if he was a Rook! It wasn't like I was going to run off with him and forget all about my friends.

"I'm not denying anything." I muttered lowly.

"Then you do like Ray like that! Damn it, Suki, you said you felt nothing for him just a few weeks ago! What changed?"

I turned to him then. "He's always there for me." I stated simply, that being the number one reason why I was drawn to him. I wasn't aware Ian wanted to hear more.

"I'm always there for-" He began, pushing his blonde streaks from his face.

"You're always there for Ceej, and you're always there for Gabe and for everyone else at Tower who needs help! I need someone that actually cares for _me_, and someone who can give me their own time! God help me if that's selfish." I shot at him, knowing I hit a soft spot. Ian always had spare time for CJ, even if she always up Cal Rice's ass. I wasn't jealous; I just wanted someone there for me like that.

"It's not selfish." He started off logically, making a sharp turn into a dirt road. "But why Ray Snyder, Sukes?" I giggled at the nickname "Sukes" but frowned at the way Ian clearly showed his burning hate for my boyfriend.

"Ray is a superb character, when he's not rivaling. Look, he was just afraid you'd steal the "_strength_" thunder he worked so hard to attain. I'm sure that if you two sat down civilly at dinner or something, things could work out for the best?" I offered, already knowing his answer. "And we could even invite Cal Rice, and whomever else you think you need there- _just in case_." I rolled my eyes; Ian was ready for a fight all of the time. I supposed he liked the altercations. "Rooks aren't so bad when you meet the good ones." I mentally made a check list of all of the wonderful Rook members I met, and the list wasn't long at all. But I knew Ian would get along with some, even with the given knowledge of their alliance.

He had to remember that the Rooks hated Tower as much as we did. "Are you leaving with Ray?"

My eyes must have fallen out of their sockets. I began spluttering angrily. "Ian, no! I mean- no, of course not! I'm still in on the plan with you guys. Nothing could change that." I promised, not thinking of the underlying agenda Ray had. Thus far, he made no indication of any plans. But the, Ray never let anyone know anything he didn't want them to. "I just need a little more information from Ray, and then maybe it will be the right time.

Ian rolled his eyes. "Are you going to tell him when you're leaving?"

I shrugged. "What difference would it make? It's not like I'm anything irreplaceable in his life. What he and I have right now is fantastic, but I know Ray. He won't chase a girl who leaves."

Ian sent me an odd look. "I meant, are you going to invite him?"

I had thought about this before. "No. He has his Rook alliance, and he's made it clear that he wants to stay here. I suppose he and his people have some diabolical plan to overthrow Headmaster and Whisper, or a similar action."

Ian nodded. "And he hasn't asked you to be any part of it."

I shook my head, not having much to say. Ray hadn't ever brought something like that up to me, but I knew him. If he didn't want to leave a place that told what to do and when to do it, he had something up his sleeve.

I just hoped I wouldn't regret entrusting Ian with that sort of information.


	13. Make Sense Of It

**Suki POV-**

"You were able to escape the Rooks' clutches for one evening of fun, then?" Gabe spat sarcastically as soon as I walked through the door. My eyes roamed around the cabin- it was filthy! Wasn't CJ staying here, too? Why didn't she try to keep a level of sanitation while I was gone? Gabe's eyes flicked from Ian's behind me back to mine. With a dramatic sigh, he opened his arms and there was more than a moment of hesitation before I finally hugged him back. "We missed you, Sukes. It can't be that fun over there with the evil ones?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ray isn't evil, Gabe. He's kind of sweet when you get to know him."

He made a sour face. "Ray Snyder is "kind of sweet"? What planet are you from, Suki? Ray has been, is, and always be an evil mastermind of wrongdoing. Point blank." I tried to shut off my listening as he spoke, as I had been persuaded by his voice once before.

"Look, lets just eat, okay?" Ian directed us to the table, which was the only thing not filthy, and served us some cold sandwiches. "You like the place? Pretty cool here."

I nodded, wiping some crumbs from my lower lip with the back of my dry hand. "It is, Ian. Ray's cabin looks pretty much the same." I lied easily, eerily thankful that CJ wasn't here to call me on it. For one, our cabin was clean (not spotless, because that was impossible with seven tenants) and secondly, it had two levels to it and more space to lounge around. Ian's cabin was four walls to stare at, with an added kitchenette. But because there was so much brotherliness and love, it was nicer than ours- I mean, Ray's. "But don't you guys think it's kinda weird that they let us just come out here for three weeks? I mean, remember at the dance- no one could dance too close! During class and at lunch, we aren't allowed to be playful and fraternize with the opposite sex! But Tower Prep will let us rent our these cabins and sleep in the same rooms as other people?"

Ian titled his head. "Whisper checks our rooms every night, Suki- you know that." when I kept a blank stare, he visibly colored. "Whisper doesn't check you room at Snyder's place?" I shook my head. "But… Suki," I readied myself for any question of Ian's- how bad could it be? "Are you sharing a room with him?" Images of what I did with him in his room, how I awoke to see his face every morning, and how I kissed him long and rough to get his stamina going flashed through my brain, stilling me from any movement.

When I was mentally preparing myself, I never thought he would ask that question. "Well, I mean… no." I shook my head. "That's a ridiculous question. And I have no idea why Whisper doesn't come check on my room, or any of our rooms in Ray's cabin. Maybe she just _trusts _us." I laughed easily, not enjoying the stoic expressions on their faces.

"Yeah, right, Sukes. Whisper, no matter how human we think her, is still a computer." Ian reminded me bitterly.

I sent him an outraged frown. "A computer with feelings, nonetheless!" they still sat, nonplussed. "She gave you a phone call home! She gave me a second chance at making it here by fending off my brother! How dare you call her just a computer?"

"Calm down, Sukes." Gabe placed a warm hand on top of my own. I knew it, it was a mistake to come here! I should have just stayed at Ray's and slept the day away! "Ian was a little rash with his words. He meant to say that he wants to go down to the swim hole. Are you up for it?" I cooled down some and nodded to his question. I understood that Ian had a super hero complex and only used things to his advantage- but what if he began to think of me as only an _advantage_? Surely, Whisper's relationship with the other computers and Headmaster himself reminded of the relationship Ray and I had- what was stopping me from telling Ray everything I knew and saw? But of course he could always trust me; I had our best interests at heart, no matter how badly I screwed up things between my boyfriend and I.

"Actually, I have to head down to the market on the main strip. I was in a rush this morning and somehow broke off the handle to the shower for temperature. So, uh, I hope you weren't planning on a shower." He chuckled uneasily, turning a little red at the revelation. How did you accidentally break a metal handle off? I hoped the gnomes that worked at the general store didn't start to ask questions, as there was no janitorial service like we were exposed to in Tower Prep's dorms. When I shook my head, he lightened up a bit. "Great. I mean, I know how you ladies always like to take your showers and wash your hair three times a day."

"Or four." Gabe snootily tipped his nose away from Ian's direction. "Whenever we start talking about Headmaster's Office break in, Ceej just gets up and says she has to wash her hair or jump in the shower, even if she spent five hours that morning in there!" Gabe exaggerated loudly, his small body slumping by the end of his monologue. "The whole coincidence-thing just doesn't work for this one."

Ian wrinkled his nose and peered down at me. "Gabe is lying; sure, she does get and leave to clean herself more frequently than normal, but that's just a chick thing, right?" I didn't want to crush his hopes by saying, "well, I don't know, Ian. Most of the chicks I know only shower once a day", but I just couldn't. So I shrugged my shoulders helplessly and offered him a small smile. "And CJ doesn't take _five _hours, more like half an hour." He kept defending her honor like that- it didn't matter what she did, she was always better than her situation and never in the wrong. "She only left that one time you were talking about the fail attempt to break in to his office. We've talked about our successful break in plenty of times, and she's never walked off to take a shower. You're just reading too far into it."

Gabe asserted him with a glossy-eyed stare, but bit his lips shut to refrain from saying anything. "You're probably right." Gabe Forrest ended smoothly and went back to his sandwich, and I did the same.

I thought about what Ray told me the night that I agreed to go to Winter Formal with him. Did he say the truth? Was Ceej a back-stabbing friend? Was she the friend that was going back and telling Whisper, or Headmaster, or the staff of Tower Prep about our plans just to foil them? Why else would she be so skittish and weird about office break ins and such? It just didn't make sense to me.

But I would soon make sense of it all.


End file.
